Intersperse III: New Era
by xHandWhistlerx
Summary: Echo, the hybrid son of King Ludwig and Queen Daisy, wonders about what the world outside his home castle is like, and finds himself lost within the dangerous and adult world of his father's duties.
1. Chapter 1: Father Returns

Father went away again. This is happening more and more often. He always says " I have to protect you," but I don't know why. I don't know much of anything; I'm not allowed out of castle grounds.

He's been gone for a month and a half. That's longer than usual. I'm worried about him and so is Mother. She doesn't like running the kingdom without him. She always has her hand on her forehead with her eyes closed. She breathes slowly. I worry about her, too.

" Echo." Mother's voice calls to me and I turn from the mirror I've been looking into.

" Yes, Mother?"

" You've been looking at yourself again?" She asks, smiling. Poor Mother; she looks so tired.

" Yes…can you tell me which parts of me are from you and which are from Father again?" I like to play this game because it helps me understand myself more.

She smiles again and comes to kneel next to me. I look into the mirror again and she begins to point out my features.

" Your black hair is from me, but the messiness is your father's fault. Your skin is from me and so are your hands and feet. But, the claws are from your father." She lifts my shirt and tickles my belly. " The way your stomach is padded is from your father, too."

I giggle and help her along. " And my teeth!" I grin and my razor-sharp teeth show.

" Yes, them too." Her smile fades slightly as she looks at my eyes. " And your eyes…your eyes are most definitely from your father."

I stop smiling, too. " Why do you get sad at this part?"

" I always hoped you would get my eyes." Hers are different colors, one blue, and one green. " But, also because I miss your father very much, and your eyes remind me so much of him."

" Oh…I'm sorry." I say sadly.

She hugs me tightly. " It isn't your fault, my dear. I love you."

Suddenly we hear the giant bells in the bell tower start to ring and we see servants running through the halls, cheering.

Father was finally home.

Mother and I rush through the halls and out to the front courtyard, where the tall silver gates have been opened to welcome back Father.

The crowd grows quiet and all that is heard are Father's uneven footsteps as he walks back into the grounds of his castle. Mother places a hand on my shoulder as I look on nervously; Father always looks so stern when he comes home. He walks slowly, arms crossed behind his back, which is hunched slightly; his head is down. He has several wounds, and his scales are bristled and dirty and unkempt. He looks up to see Mother and I in the center of the crowd; the ruby that sits in the empty eye-socket where his left eye used to be glints in the light and the frightening scars that stretch across his face stand out. He looks tired and sullen.

" My Queen." He nods in the direction of Mother, his voice hoarse. " My son." He nods at me. " I am going to retire to the high tower. No one is to disturb me for any reason aside from emergencies." And with that he passes through the doors of the castle, which close loudly behind him.

" Why is he like that when he comes home?" I ask Mother.

She sighs. " Your father has seen many things, horrible things. When he comes home, he has to take a bit of time to forget those things. He always comes around after a few days. You know that." She pats my shoulder and tells me to come in with her for lunch.

After I eat with Mother, I sneak up the stairs to the high tower. I crouch by the door quietly and listen. Inside, I hear sobs; they are deep, terrible sounds filled with guilt and anguish. I am amazed that they are coming from Father, because he is so strong and happy. I wish so badly that I could help him take the sadness away, but inside I know that I never can.


	2. Chapter 2: Dangers

Three days later, as Mother promised, Father emerged from the high tower with a look of peace on his face. I'm glad that he's feeling better, and today I am going to go talk with him; I haven't gotten a chance to by myself yet.

I knock on the door to his study. " Father? May I come in?"

The door swings open seconds later and Father smiles down at me, the light back in his eyes. He lifts me into his arms and throws me over his shoulder, running down the corridor with me.

" This is a hostage situation! Everyone out of the way!" He yells as he charges past various servants. I laugh gleefully; I know that I'm almost twelve and that I'm supposed to hate things like this, but for me it never gets old. I love spending time with my Father; I rarely get to.

We get to the willow tree that stands over the large pond in the back of the castle. He puts me down and I lay on the ground, chest heaving from laughter. He laughs, too, breathing heavily.

" You've grown since I last saw you, Echo. My goodness!" He says, plopping down next to me in the long, soft grass. " You must be a weed to grow that fast."

" I don't think so. Maybe you're just getting old." I say, smirking sarcastically.

He raises an eyebrow at me. " I suppose that could be true." He leaps on me. " But then that means I'm stronger, too!" He throws me into the pond.

" Ah! Daaaaad!" I yell, sitting uncomfortably in the muck.

He laughs, giving me his hand; he hoists me up.

" Hey, Dad?"

" Yes, Echo?"

I twist my soaking hands nervously in front of me. " I was wondering…if for my twelfth birthday…I could go outside of the…grounds?"

He grows serious. " Echo we've talked about this before. Your mother and I do not want you to leave the grounds. It's…it's just not safe enough yet. Someday, I promise, but not this year."

My shoulders sag. " Oh. Okay." I don't feel as happy as I was a few minutes ago. All I want is to see the outside world, but Father won't let me. He doesn't think I'm strong enough and neither does Mother.

But I think I am. I think I'm ready.

" I think I'm ready, though. I feel strong enough."

Now Father grows firmer. " I told you no. That means no. You are in no way ready to face what is happening out in the world right now."

I'm getting angry. " Can you tell me what's going on then?"

I already know the answer. " No."

" Why not? I'm never allowed to know anything or see anything or _do anything_! I want to know what the _real_ world is like, Father, so why won't you tell me?" I yell; I know that I shouldn't yell, but I can't help it.

Father looks at me. His remaining crimson eye burns into me and his mouth is a thin, straight line. He looks frightening now; when he's happy, you don't notice his scars as much, but when he's angry, every wound seems to stand out to make him look more threatening.

I can't help shivering. I look at the ground, ashamed.

Father sighs, and puts a hand on my shoulder. He steers me back toward the castle, and I worry that he's going to tell Mother about my outburst.

" I know…I do keep you from the outside. It's only because the outside is not safe now. There are violent wars happening right now, Echo, and I don't want to lose you." I'm surprised by his response, but I understand now. " Do you know where I go when I leave, Echo?"

My heart flutters slightly; I don't necessarily want to know what Father has seen.

" No, I don't."

An expressionless, tiny smile appears on his face. " I fight in the wars. I _lead_ the soldiers. I lead them in some of the most violent battles in the history of this place. I get to see every kind of death and mutilation when I go to these battles." He pauses, closing his eyes; the memories have begun to creep up from their hiding place again.

" Why do you have to fight? Can't you just appoint a lead commander so that you don't have to go? So that you can be safe?" I ask quietly.

He shakes his head. " That is how a coward fights: away from the battlefield, letting countless others die for him. I knew a man like that, once…I didn't want to be like that man. That is why I fight with my soldiers."

I gaze at my Father with a new respect. I admire him so much for what he does; he is such a great man.

" Ludwig." Mother's voice calls quietly from a nearby window. Funny, I rarely hear them use each other's names.

" Yes, Daisy?" He responds.

" Would you come inside for a moment please? And change into clean clothes, Echo." She says.

" Yes, do that." Father smiles and winks at me. " Your mother is going to scold me now."

I laugh and head inside, the new knowledge of the horrible world swirling in my head. I wonder what else there is for me to know.


	3. Chapter 3: Plans

I tried to listen in on what Mother was scolding Father about, but Toadsworth caught me snooping and drug me away. I only caught a few words.

Later, I saw Father place his crown upon his head, meaning that we were going to have visitors soon.

" Who's coming, Father?" I ask.

" Just a few monarchs from some neighboring kingdoms. We're just going to discuss a few matters, so you may be excused from supper. I'll spare you from the boredom." He smiled, but there was a hint of worry about him.

I skirted around the places where I knew the old geezer Toadsworth would be and snuck into the dining hall before the servants had even begun to set the table. I ran to a marble column and wrapped my arms around it; I clambered up and perched on the back of the decorative top.

Soon enough, the other monarchs arrived, and Mother and Father waited by their seats for everyone else to sit before they did. Father stands out from everyone else, even from a distance. He is the only person there who is not a human. And I know that his appearance makes the others uncomfortable, even though he is so kind.

" I suppose we should begin discussing our issues." Father says, after several moments of silence.

" Yes. The wretched king…" The Skyland Queen says, a shudder in her voice.

" He continues to annex more and more kingdoms! We continue to fight against him, but our forces deplete while his strengthen." Yells another.

" Yes, I know. There must be other kingdoms working with him…" Father speculates.

Mother speaks. " Perhaps if we could see what Bowser wants from this, then we could find a peaceful agreement of some sort."

One king snorts. " Oh, certainly! Because peace tactics have always worked wonderfully with Bowser!"

Mother sits back in her seat, not saying anything else; Father sits up straighter in his.

" May I propose something?"

" Anything would be fine at this point, Koopa. I just want my kingdom to be safe and prosperous again."

Father glances back at Mother again before speaking. " As you are all aware, I know Bowser's kingdom well. I also know many of his battle strategies and patterns of attack. If I went to battle—," A gasp from Mother stops him; he places a hand on her shoulder and continues. " And if I could be placed in a certain area, then I could lead our troops to at least a few victories. I am willing to fight again if fighting is what will end this war…" He sits again. Mother is crying.

I am confused. Why does Father have to be the one who goes to battle? What is this war that we're fighting? Who is Bowser? Why does Father seem to know so much about him?

The other monarchs slowly agree to Father's plan and he nods with each "yea". He glances back at Mother again and then looks up toward the ceiling, at the column where I sit. I gasp a bit; he is looking right at me, but only for a moment. I slide down quietly and leap into the shadows to sneak from the room.

" So it is settled, then. In one week I will have the attack plans ready and I will head to battle. Prepare your soldiers for another battle, hopefully a victory." I hear Father say as I escape.

I run to my room crying, nearly running over Toadsworth as I pass him.

" Master Echo! What is the matter, boy?" The old man yelps, hobbling after me.

" Father is going to battle again! He's going to die!" I sob, finally crashing to my knees in the corridor.

He catches up with me and places a hand on my shoulder, gasping. " No, young master, your Father surely will not die. Think of how many homecomings we've had for him in the past. He has always returned, albeit with injury. You know this."

I wipe my runny nose, nodding.

" Your Father is a very strong man. And he is going to have your grand-uncle Mario and grandfather Luigi to help him, too." He pats my back, helping me to a stand; a silly gesture really, since he only comes up to my hip. " Now then, let's go get a dessert, shall we? A hot fudge sundae sounds pleasant!"

Toadsworth has made me feel better, but I still feel worried. I want so badly to help Father, but I know that I'm powerless. I must think of something to do about this.


	4. Chapter 4: Essence of Green

" Mother, I overheard what Father was saying to the other monarchs a few days ago and I want to tell him not to do it." I say to myself in the mirror. No, that's stupid.

I'm trying to find a way of telling Mother that we need to stop Father from going into battle. I just can't find the right words. I decide to get some fresh air and come back to it later; perhaps I'll think of something if I clear my mind a bit.

" Daisy, my darling, please! I'm only trying to protect you and Echo!" That's Father's voice; I can hear it through an open window. I crouch next to it and listen to the courtyard conversation.

Mother is angry. " But it doesn't always have to be _you, _Ludwig! You always want to be the hero, and it's going to leave you dead, which will make everything worse!"

I'm frightened; I've never heard them fight so much before.

" I do this because I know Bowser better than anyone else! The troops need my guidance if they want to gain success."

" Then explain the strategies to them and let true army commanders lead them! I sometimes think that you do this out of an arrogant lust for attention!" Mother yells.

I peek out the window to see Father open his jaws wide and spit fire into the sky. I didn't know he could do that, and it scares me because I don't want him to hurt Mother.

" You think I want _attention?_" He snarls. " You think I want _glory and fame?_ You're _wrong!_ I want _revenge!_ That man made my life—our lives—a living hell! You remember what he made me do all those years ago! He turned me into an evil, arrogant, heartless monster!"

Father knows this Bowser person? What's going on? I don't understand; it's like Father has a secret past, like he wasn't always the person that he is today.

He gasps for breath, body twitching with rage; smoke furls from his nostrils in angry clouds. He shuts his remaining eye and turns away from Mother, who has no expression on her face. She is very still, and I can see water in her eyes.

Father speaks again, his voice quiet. " Even now I feel like he still has some sort of control over me. I…I need to know that he can't harm anyone anymore. The only way I can do that is to defeat him myself. I must face my own demons."

Mother nods. " I still wish that you could stay. I…you know that I couldn't live without you…" Her head falls, and her shoulders shake.

Father walks to her slowly and holds her in his arms. He strokes her black hair gently and murmurs words to her that I cannot hear.

I'm crying, too. I wish more than anything that Father could stay here, and be safe with us. Wait a moment…perhaps there is a way to help him!

Father taught me a thing or two about potions, and there are a few that I know how to make on my own. I can make him stronger, or quicker, or I could make him a healing potion. Yes! A healing potion! I'll make him Essence of Green, the most powerful potion in the world, made from green mushrooms.

Essence of Green would be best. I'll just have to work fast, and get the ingredients as soon as I can. Then I'll get the potion to Father as he leaves and he will be safe. I make my way to the gardens, because I know that many of the ingredients needed for Essence of Green grow there. I arrive and see most of them: green mushrooms, toad's eye, koopa's mane, and fairy thistle. I'm pleased, because now all I need are dragon claw shavings and a few drops of my own blood. I know that the shavings will be in Father's study somewhere; I'll soon find out.

As I round the corner to where the study is, I am surprised to meet Father there, himself about to enter.

" Oh, hello Echo." He says trying to look cheerful.

" Hello Father." There is an awkward silence.

" Did you need something in my study?" He asks, eyeing me curiously.

I look him in the eye and tell most of the truth. " Yes, I was going to get some dragon claw shavings. Toadsworth says that they bring out the flavor in meat, so I was going to try it…"

He stares me down, looking for suspicious behavior. " Alright." He says.

I run into the study, grab what I need, and then hurry out again, anxious to get started on the potion. I only hope that it will help Father when he leaves again…


	5. Chapter 5: Nimbus

Father leaves today. I still have to finish the Essence of Green; it takes a long time to set. I wish I had remembered that…I might not have enough time to give it to him before he leaves.

I watch Mother walk aimlessly around the courtyard; she looks miserable and scared. She is getting very thin and she always feels cold. There's even a gray streak in her black hair. I wish I could make her feel better. Come to think of it, I wish about a lot of things that I can't fix.

Suddenly, people begin to fill the corridors; they all seem to be heading to the airship docks. My heart skips a beat; Father is leaving _already?_ I scramble for a flask and pour the unfinished potion into it. It's just going to have to set on the way to battle.

I push past people that crowd the hallways and try to get to Father's study. His bags are usually in there, and I can stuff the potion in one so that he takes it with him. I finally get there and swing open the door unnoticed.

" Oh crap!" I say out loud. None of his things are here. Everything must be on the airship already.

Now I run. I have to reach the docks before they take off. I almost trip a few times, and I nearly run over several servants. Finally I get to the docks and see Father walking up to the airship, his arms crossed behind his back. I skirt around the dock, keeping out of sight as best I can. I'm practically wheezing by the time I make it to the second entrance to the ship. I run inside and find where Father's room will be, at the top of the ship. Silently I slip inside and find his things.

" Be safe, Father." I whisper, and kiss the flask before I go to slip it into his satchel.

A rattle comes from the door, and I dive under the bed seconds before it opens. I see Father and my granduncle Mario step into the room.

" But, really, you're certain that you don't want to stay?" Mario asks.

Father nods. " Yes, I'm certain. I have to face these demons for myself. No one seems to understand that." He sounds exasperated. He sits on a stool and servants come in carrying…paint? Dyes? They begin to mix colors together, and to spread them on Father's sun-bronzed scale.

" And remember, as we've done before—,"

Mario interrupts. " Yes, I know to call you Nimbus. Commander Nimbus of the Great Mushroom Army."

Father gives a small smile as the servants begin to cover his face with the paint. His scale is gleaming white now, and his dark blue hair is being dyed a light grey with black tips. Black paint is added decoratively around his face and arms. The black around his eyes makes the reds of the ruby and the remaining iris appear to glow. Black swirls wind around his arms like snakes. Even his white claws are painted black. I no longer recognize him.

" Thank you; I don't recognize myself." Father thanks the servants. The engines roar again and I feel us begin to take off. Oh no…I feel my heart sink with terror; I'm going into battle with Father.

I see my grandfather, Luigi, come in as well.

" Hello L—Nimbus." He says, laughing. " Are you ready for this? It will probably be our final battle, so it will be long and difficult…and I know that you didn't get as much time to rest up as other times…"

" I'm fine. I was never severely injured last time, and I had a few weeks of good meals and peaceful dreaming. I hope the same for both of you…pardon me, but you are a bit older than I." Father smirks.

" Bah! We feel young as ever! We haven't gone senile yet!" Luigi scoffs.

" Battle keeps the mind sharp and the senses quick." Mario adds, a bit darkly.

Father walks to the window. " We've leveled off…I can already see the sky darkening…" He sighs.

Luigi walks over to Father. " Just…don't do anything too reckless. Try to stay safe for my daughter. I don't want you to lose more than an eye this time around."

Father snorts once. " I promise!" Then he grows serious. " Is it strange that I miss them already? Daisy and Echo?"

" Not in the least. I miss Peach all the time." Mario said.

Father nods, and then dismisses the two men. He gazes out the window for a long time, lost in his thoughts. I don't dare to sneak away; Father would hear me.

With a sickening sense of fear, I realize that I will get to experience the terror that Father feels and the violence of a real war.


	6. Chapter 6: Bloodbath

Father finally left the room and I was able to leave and find a better, more comfortable hiding place. I snuck down into the bowels of the ship, where luggage and other supplies were held; I found a comfortable place to sit atop some large crates that also kept me out of sight. I gazed out the window at the ground and clouds that surrounded the ship. I had never seen this world before now, and it fascinates me endlessly. Green grass, quaint mushroom houses, dirt roads, and little markets filled with produce and meats.

Is that smoke? I lean closer to the window and my sharp eyes pick out bright orange and yellow flames leaping from buildings down below. This is one of the towns! People's homes are being burned! The air is grey with smoke now, and all I can see is the brightness of the fire.

After a few moments we pass it; the sky appears a bit darker: not as though the time of day has changed, because it appears to be a deep red further out. I look at the ground; where there used to be green grass and strong trees there is now no more than infertile looking dirt. Steam rises from piles of blackened rubble, and to my horror I can pick out what look like bodies lying in the streets. I want to look away, but I am enraptured.

The landscape is rockier now, and the sky grows darker still. I shiver as I try to imagine what I will see next. We begin to sink low to the ground, about to land in this deserted looking, hostile realm. Why here? Why would Father want to land _here?_

I heard the loading ramps unfolding and watched one touch the barren dust from my window. Mario and Luigi went out first, followed by Father, who now wore some silver armor. I pushed open the window to listen to what was going on; a hostile wind whipped about me in gusts.

" Are you certain that this is where his army will come through? It seems deserted." Mario questioned Father.

Father's painted head nodded. " Yes. We just have to wait for them to arrive. We're ahead of schedule."

" Or behind." Luigi huffed worriedly.

Just then, Father dropped to the ground, placing his hands in the dust, motionless. " They're coming. Hundreds…thousands of them…"

" We're outnumbered!" Mario yelped, glancing back at the few hundred troops that were filing out of the ship.

" But we have better strategy: keep that in mind. Everyone! Listen to me!" Father bellowed above the wind. " Make yourselves scarce! We are going to play a trick on Bowser's army!"

They did as they were told, and, before my eyes, the entirety of the troops disappeared behind boulders and within crevices. And not a moment too soon: a swarm of rugged soldiers appeared on the horizon and advanced quickly upon spotting the airship. Soon they were upon us and I shrunk away from the window. An old wizard at the head of the group contemplated the ship.

" Is this a Mushroom Kingdom ship? It appears to be, from the insignia, yes?" He squawked.

" Yessir." Several troops drawled in unison. Apparently Bowser's troops aren't too bright. " It looks empty…"

The old geezer cackled. " Oh, yes. I'm sure it is _completely empty._" There was silence. " Well, go inside and bring them out!"

A goomba drooled. " But, uh, you said—,"

" GO INSIDE! Sarcasm you imbeciles…" He hissed.

Several troops stormed the ship and I prayed that they wouldn't be too thorough in their search. I want to reconsider my hiding spot, but there's no time. Suddenly, my heart drops into my stomach. Father didn't have his satchel with him! The potion is still in the ship! I have to get it to him or else all of this is useless! I slip down from my hiding place and rush quietly to the top of the ship, to Father's room. Luckily, no soldiers have gotten this high yet. I find the satchel and snatch the potion from within, then turn to hurry out again.

" Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" A brutish voice questions evilly. I now face a turtle-koopa with a hammer, sneering in my direction. " Little boys shouldn't be in these rough parts."

I gulp audibly and back around to the other side of the bed.

" What's that you have there? A soda?" He asks, coming closer. " You're a strange looking boy aren't you? A human with claws and fangs: and eyes as red as the great King Bowser's."

" I'm not strange. Now leave." I quickly formulate a lie in my head. " Your King Bowser already ordered me to sneak onto this ship when it took off. He told me to steal anything valuable I could find…he said a little boy running around the ship wouldn't cause much suspicion…that they would think me a servant." I have to say I'm impressed with myself.

" Oh." The koopa says, looking shocked. " If the King says…go about your business." I'm so glad these soldiers are idiots. He leaves without another word, and I rush out as soon as I can.

I find the exit ramp and hide in the shadows to make sure that no one will see me. The soldiers are lazing around, gazing at the magnificent ship, not paying attention to the enemy troops sneaking up behind them.

Mario gives a war cry and the slaughter begins. Everything is in motion and battle cries fill the air as the soldiers begin to fight; the old wizard hovers in the air on a broomstick above the battle, shouting instructions to the soldiers, who aren't paying attention anyway.

As one group is overtaken, another swarms in, and Luigi, along with a group of his own soldiers, leaps into the battle. I'm terrified by the carnage, but glad that we are apparently winning. I wish I knew where Father was hiding so I could slip him the potion.

Then, as another group of enemies is overtaken, Father leaps into view, launching himself off of a tall boulder to rain fire down on the advancing troops. He looks so majestic…and dangerous.

" N-Nimbus! Ah!" The wizard yelps, going higher into the sky on his broom.

Father lands among his enemies and single-handedly kills at least a third of them: he tears their throats out, smashes their skulls together, burns them, and smacks them away with his strong tail. He is soaked with their blood…and I feel sick looking at him.

Some of the enemies begin to overtake him, and I watch him roar with pain as an arrow pierces his scale. Another turtle-koopa claws him across the muzzle and he is simultaneously punched in the abdomen.

Luckily, the rest of the troops, and Mario and Luigi, rush to his aid, yanking the enemies off of him so that he can continue to fight. Soon, it seems that the hoards of troops are dwindling and that they will lose the battle.

" Argh! Troops! Retreat!" The wizard screeches, pointing in the opposite direction frantically. He stops suddenly, eyes locked skyward, to a massive airship far more threatening than the one I sit in. " Aha! HA HA! The King has arrived!" He cackles triumphantly. " What will you do now, Nimbus? Not even you can stop the King!"

I have to get the potion to Father _now._ I take a deep breath, and, without a second thought, I charge from the shadows.

" FATHER!" I yell, sprinting toward him through the twitching bodies.

Everything seems to be happening in slow motion. Father's head turns in my direction and he freezes, astounded…and scared. I watch as his mouth forms my name. I watch as others turn to look at me, also in astonishment. And I watch as great cannonballs begin to fall from the sky from the airship above. Father vanishes as one falls to the ground in the rocky space between us. I am thrown backwards from the sheer force of it and my head smacks the ground and starts to bleed. I try to stand, all sound muffled, and my vision blurred from shellshock.

Where is Father?

There is dust choking the air and new bodies litter the ground, bleeding and missing limbs. I try to call his name again, but my voice is lost in the maelstrom; not even I can hear it. I feel blood running down my back in rivulets. I lose my footing and tumble to the ground.

I can hear again, the sounds of battle: screaming, explosions, clanking weapons. I push myself up, and then pause. A massive, clawed, scaled foot is planted in the dirt next to my face. But it isn't Father.

I scramble to my feet and gaze up at the dragon-koopa before me. Most of his upper form is lost in the churning dust, but I can make out a pair of fiery red eyes, staring down at me.

" Hello, son of Nimbus." His deep, roughened voice says. Then he begins to laugh, a snarl building within his expansive chest. I try to run, but his claws pluck me from the ground effortlessly. " You're coming with me."

I flail madly, clawing his thick, muscled arm. I cry out for Father, but I know that he cannot hear me. I sob violently as I am carried upward, above the raging battle, to the ship that I know will hold my doom.


	7. Chapter 7: Painful Revelations

I sat up on a hard wooden cot, taking a moment to try to remember where I was and why. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep. Or fainted.

I look out the porthole beside me and watch as a black, devilish castle comes into view. Have I been transported to hell? What is this? A guard walks by my cell (oh, I'm in a cage, too!) and I clear my throat.

" Excuse me." My voice is terribly sore. " Where are we going?"

The guard turns to me and smiles meanly. " Ah, you're awake, Sleeping Beauty! We're going to King Bowser's castle. Isn't that obvious?" He thrusts a hand toward the porthole, where the castle is still in view.

" Oh…" I moan, and feel the color drain from my face. Now I remember everything. As the guard leaves, I feel around in my pocket and, miraculously, find that the Essence of Green is still with me and intact. At least I still have that with me…a small comfort in this troubling situation.

We land sooner than I would have liked. My hands are tied behind my back and I am pulled across the black stones of the loading dock. The air is sulfurous and filled with ash; the sky is deep red against the black castle, with spires that pierce the dark clouds above. I can feel the rumble of a hundred angry volcanoes beneath my feet. It feels surreal…like I'm watching someone else being led to their untimely fate. I hang my head and walk onward. I am led into the castle, through winding corridors, and into what appears to be a throne room.

" Look at me, boy." A voice rumbles from atop a steep flight of stairs. I do as I'm told and see a koopa sitting in the terrifying throne above me. He is larger than even Father (who is probably half the size of this man) and I recognize his piercing red eyes from the battlefield. He has an unruly red mohawk, and his massive form ripples with muscles. He wears spiked cufflinks around his arms in several places. He grins at me coldly, displaying his monstrous fangs.

" You were out in battle. What is a boy you're age doing in a war, hm?" He questions.

I don't respond. I can't take my eyes away from his.

He stands and starts down the stairs. " You were trying to reach your father, weren't you? You were trying to reach Nimbus." He towers before me now. " Am I correct?"

I nod, quaking with fear. This is King Bowser, and he has me captured. Which means that Father is going to fall into his claws when he comes to rescue me. Oh, how could I be so stupid?

" You're a quiet boy, aren't you?" Bowser asks indifferently. " Who is your mother?"

I try to speak, my throat dry. " Q-Queen Dai-Daisy."

Now a spark appears in his uninterested eyes. " Queen Daisy, hm? So Commander Nimbus is also King Nimbus. Unless your mother's been naughty, that is." At that he laughs uproariously, shaking the ground as his tail thumps.

I'm confused…apparently Bowser doesn't know that "Nimbus" is really named Ludwig. There must be a reason for that…

Bowser stops laughing and looks down at me again. " So you're half-and-half, then? Half human, half koopa?" He grunts. " Amusing. And strange." He runs a single claw through my tangled black hair. I shudder. " Go stand by the stairs, boy."

I do as I'm told, and watch as he nods to a servant who stands by the double doors. They swing open and I see the old wizard on his broomstick, cackling as ever. He yanks a chain and I hear a snarl.

" Come on now, you vermin!" He screeches, and finally the prisoner is pulled into the light.

I gasp. It's Father! The chain being pulled by the wizard is tied around his neck, and his arms, like mine, are tied behind his back. He looks beaten and tired, with several wounds still wet. The arrow he was shot with still protrudes from his scale.

Bowser chuckles cruelly at his prisoner. " Good work, Kamek."

" I'd better be paid for that work." The wizard, Kamek, growls before laughing again.

Father snarls at Bowser, then catches sight of me and freezes.

" That's right, Nimbus." Bowser sneers. " We have your little boy."

" Echo…" Father breathes. The koopa that helped bring him in hits the backs of his knees with a white hot metal rod, sending Father to the ground with a roar of pain.

" Now that you're on your knees…" Bowser says, walking to him. " Why don't we arrange something to end these battles? You know that you've been beaten: just hand over the Mushroom Kingdom to me and we'll call an end to this war."

Father looks up at Bowser. " Never in your wildest dreams. You can fight us for as long as you like, but we will _never_ surrender to _you._" He chokes a bit when Kamek yanks the chain on his neck.

" You won't, will you?" Bowser says expressionlessly. He snaps his fingers and another koopa drags me over to stand beside the king. The white hot rod smacks my legs as well and, with a scream, I fall to my knees.

" No." Father growls through bared fangs. " You leave my son out of this."

" Oh contraire. It seems that the only way to get you to surrender the kingdom is to put poor little…Echo, is it?… into this whole thing." Bowser smiles coolly at Father, who's remaining eye is as wide as the moon.

I look at my Father, scared beyond any fear I've ever felt in my sheltered life. " Father." It's the only thing I can think of.

" Give me your kingdom, oh great King Nimbus." Bowser drawls.

" No!" Father yells.

I scream; someone has shoved a knife into my upper arm, and then ripped it out again. I feel the blood begin to pool and rush.

Father lunges forward, straining every muscle against his chains. He opens his jaws to blow fire when suddenly another servant rushes over and pours a smelly liquid into his mouth. Father sputters and coughs.

" Kerosene. I wouldn't blow fire if I were you." Bowser warns.

Father looks helpless as the liquid drips out of his jaws, down his neck, and from his nostrils. I notice that the kerosene dripping down his neck is dissolving his war paint, already beginning to crack. I pray that Bowser does not notice.

The prayer is not answered.

" Huh?" Bowser growls, confused. He leans closer to Father, examining him with bushy eyebrows knotted.

Finally he looks to the servant who stabbed me. " Dowse him." The servant vanishes for a moment before returning with a large bucket of tepid water. He throws it on Father unceremoniously. The war paint begins to drip away, revealing Father's true scale-color. Even some of the hair dye has started to come away, his blue hair peeking through.

I am surprised by the look of disbelief on Bowser's face. He suddenly kneels beside Father to get a closer look at him. Father glares at him contemptuously.

" L-Ludwig?" He finally manages, shakily reaching out a calloused claw to Father.

Father snarls and snaps his jaws at Bowser's reach.

I don't understand. Why is Bowser reacting like this? My wound is forgotten for a moment as I try to wrap my head around everything that is unfolding before me.

" I…I thought…" Bowser seems unable to find words. " I thought you were dead…lost in the mountains…"

Father glares into Bowser's eyes with a powerful hatred; I've never seen him with such a look on his face before.

" So now, after all of these years, you care." Father begins, a snarl coating his voice with malice. " Only after I am lost to you for _decades _do you care about my existence. You missed having my assistance in battle didn't you? You missed my skill in strategy and power. You missed having me as your _puppet._"

Bowser looks taken aback, but does not speak.

Father laughs maliciously. " Exactly. You never actually missed _me_. You missed my _abilities_: my _talents._ You should have realized that showing me the human world; a world where there is genuine _kindness, _would change me. You put evil in me and that virtue took it out. You won't control me or mine again."

Bowser suddenly looks back at me, at the blood on my body. " This is your son. Yours and Daisy's." He says. " I thought there was something going on between you and that girl…"

" Let him go." Father says firmly.

The evil suddenly returns to Bowser's eyes. " I'm sorry, but you still haven't agreed to my terms. And now, if I'm not correct, I can charge you with treachery, yes? And you know the penalty for such a crime, don't you Ludwig? I believe I had you and your siblings attend a few executions when you were young."

Father's face goes slack. " No. You won't kill me. My son—," He looks at me desperately.

" Oh, you have a son, you have a family! I know. But I can't let you get away with such a serious crime." He motions to Kamek, who begins to drag Father to another door, which I assume is to the dungeons. I am led away as well, confused and terrified.

Kamek stops and turns Father back to Bowser for a moment.

The tyrant speaks. " Oh, Ludwig…I thought that I raised you to be better than this." He sighs, turning away. " Who would have thought my own son would turn on me."


	8. Chapter 8: Dungeons

I'm roughly shoved into yet another cell, this one dark, damp, and rocky. It is uncomfortably humid and hot. I look through the bars into the cell next to mine and see Father sitting against the rock wall, a disbelieving expression on his face. My arm throbs uncomfortably and I start to feel dizzy.

" Father, my arm…what do I do?" I ask, voice like sandpaper.

He snaps out of his daze and comes to the bars.

" Take your shirt off. I'll make a tourniquet to stop the bleeding." I do as I'm told and watch as Father tears the clothing apart. He reaches through the bars and ties it tightly around my wound. It is silent.

" So…Bowser is my Grandfather?" I ask.

Father silently nods, staring at my arm. " Yes he is."

I feel angry. " Why didn't you tell me?"

He looks me in the eye. " I'll ask the questions, Echo." He is angry too. " What were you thinking, sneaking onto the ship like that? You knew I was going to battle and that there would be danger! You could have been killed!"

I feel ashamed, but reach into my pocket to produce the vial of potion. " I…I made you Essence of Green. I wanted you to be safe…" My voice catches and my eyes feel hot with tears. " I thought that you might die…"

Father softens a bit, and even looks proud despite the situation. " Thank you for your concern, Echo. Even so, you should have known better than to try sneaking it onto the ship. Look at the danger we're in now…"

" We wouldn't be in danger if you would have stayed home like Mother wanted." I scowl, tears still in my eyes. " Why do you always have to go? I saw Mario and Luigi fight; they had everything handled. You didn't need to be there." I wipe my eyes. " And, really, when were you going to tell me about all this?"

" After your birthday, actually." He says softly. " I was going to tell you many things after you turned thirteen. I felt that you would be old enough to know and understand at that point…" He closes his eyes, and then begins to explain. " When I was very young, my father, Bowser, got me involved in a special interspersing project in order to familiarize me with humans, supposedly so that I could understand and deal with them better than he could. While I was involved, I met your mother. We became very, very close, both of us being outcasts for our differences. I used to hate humans very much, and that led to the experiment being called off.

" When I was older, though, I went back to the human world and found your mother again. This time we fell in love." He smiled at the memory. " But, Bowser, being evil as he is, decided to plot against the Mushroom Kingdom, and stole your grandmother, Princess Peach, your mother, and her cousin. Both your mother and I had never told each other of our royal backgrounds; when we both confessed them, it was a shock to each of us.

" Bowser had convinced me that the way of evil was the way that was best, but your mother finally managed to talk that out of me, bless her. And so, I helped the four to escape, making it seem like they had been rescued and that I had gone after them. Bowser assumed that I had died in the mountains chasing them and that was that. Your mother and I married and we ruled the kingdom together. We had you." He smiles at me. " But, when you were only three, Bowser began building up an army again, and attacking different kingdoms, including ours. We were ill prepared, and so I assumed the role of Commander Nimbus and went into battle. And so I've done ever since." He finished, falling back against the wall. " I should have stopped this long ago: I should have realized that something like this would happen after the battle when I lost my eye…I've let old resentments get the better of me, and now you are in danger…" Father can no longer look at me, and I feel guilty, because this whole mess really is my fault. " I just wanted to be at peace. For the sake of the kingdom, my family…_my mind._" He growls. " But there's no way out of this one…"

" I'm sure we'll think of something…" I try to comfort him, but I can see that the hopelessness of the situation is too much. I lean back against the wall and close my eyes…

I hear a door creak open and crack my eyes slightly; I must have fallen asleep, because the light has changed. I remain motionless, listening as Father approaches the bars of his cell.

" Kamek?" I hear him say, surprised.

" Shhh! Try to keep as quiet as possible." I hear the cackling voice of the old wizard scold. " I…I can't help you to escape, but I'll tell you what's going to happen."

" Yes. Anything." Father pleads.

" Bowser is going to hold a public execution for you. Your siblings will be there, and so will many Darkland nobles. He is going to bring your wife here as well, and he's going to have her and your son watch next to him. Mario and Luigi and their wives and children will be there too." Kamek warns; Father growls in disgust.

" How could he be so evil? He said that he missed my presence…"

" It's like you said, Master Ludwig, he only missed your skills. Oh, and one more thing…" I hear his robes shuffling. " I brought you and the boy some supper; I assume you haven't eaten."

I smell a mouth-watering waft of meat and my stomach growls. Well, I might as well "wake up" since my hunger has betrayed me.

" Look, Echo." Father grins, though his face is pale. " Kamek has brought food for us. Come eat."

I shuffle tiredly to the cell doors and take the large sirloin from Kamek, who half-smiles at me.

" He has your eyes, Master Ludwig. Is he more like you or his mother?"

Father looks at me. " I can't be sure…but I think he's like both."

Kamek smiles and leaves us in the darkness to ponder and fret over things to come.


	9. Chapter 9: Family Feuds

The next day is a blur. It passes in silence until Kamek comes to the dungeon to retrieve me.

" Come on, boy." He says, wrapping a frail arm around my limp shoulders. I break away from him and run to Father's cage; I reach my arms through the bars and embrace him, sobbing. Father manages to squeeze his forearms through the bars and strokes my back and hair.

" Everything will be alright, Echo. Now go find your mother and keep her safe." He whispers soothingly to me. I can tell that he's scared though; I can feel it.

Before we break our embrace, I slip the Essence of Green to him. He suddenly looks at me sternly and hands it back.

" No, please, Father you have to take it. That's the whole reason I'm here." I beg.

He shakes his head. " I want you to keep it just in case. You can never tell what Bowser is going to try next."

Kamek clears his throat. " We really do have to go…_now._"

And with that I am whisked away from my Father again. I hope that this isn't the last time I will see him.

I am brought to the main entrance hall to where Bowser is standing in the center. He is waiting to greet his guests.

He looks down at me. " Look at you. You're an absolute mess. You're not even wearing a shirt! Kamek!" He scolds, but then grins deviously. " Good work!"

Kamek cackles along with Bowser, but eyes me sympathetically.

" Perhaps once I take care of your Father you and I can spend some quality grand-dad and grandson time together. I have a feeling that you have some of your Father's genius in you." Bowser smirks. " It would be great fun. And you would get to see all your uncles and your aunt." He glances down at me.

I stay silent.

He puts a claw beneath my chin and turns my face up to his. " Did your Father never teach you respect?"

I make eye contact. " He taught me to treat others as they treat me."

Bowser's smirk disappears as he releases me; I continue to stare at the doors, waiting for Mother to arrive.

People begin to file in; they look like Father, and I assume that they are my uncles and aunt. They don't really look like they could be related to one another: all of their hair, if they have any, is a different color, they have different bodily structures, ranging from rail thin to tank-like in proportion, and none of them even sound the same. They all look at me in confusion.

" Who's this, King Dad? A new servant of yours?" Asks one of the larger ones, wearing sunglasses.

" Can't be a servant; servants look more well-put-together than _that._" Scoffs the lone female.

Bowser quiets them. " I have some rather astonishing news for you, my koopalings."

" God, don't call us that." Says another; he actually resembles Bowser, with a fiery red ponytail, large horns, and red eyes.

" Whatever you say, Junior. Anyway…it regards this boy right here. Look at him." Bowser gestures to me, and all eyes turn in my direction.

" He's bloodied up, that's for certain." States the female, looking down her snout at me.

" Well, he's most certainly a hybrid…of koopa and human, it appears." Says a tall, bespectacled koopa.

" Just tell us what you're getting at." The annoyed koopa, Junior, huffs, crossing his arms.

Finally, Bowser laughs. " You really don't see it? Well, I suppose not; I didn't notice either, until I found out the truth." He clears his throat, looking particularly proud of himself. " I recently captured Commander Nimbus of the Mushroom Kingdom army, as well as his son." He gestures to me again; his children collectively gasp. " However, when I was interrogating Nimbus, his son present, I began to notice something about him. He seemed so familiar to me for some reason. And so, I stripped off his war paint…" He waits for the tension to build. " And I found none other than your long lost brother, Ludwig."

One koopa with a blue mohawk merely widened his eyes while his siblings gasped. He shot a look at me, liquid blue eyes filling with realization.

" Aha! He _does_ look like Ludwig doesn't he?" A massive, brown-scaled koopa blurts out.

Bowser quiets them. " I found out that all those years ago, your brother aided the princesses in their escape from me. He then stayed secretly in the Mushroom Kingdom, ruling it with the late Princess Daisy. And they gave me a grandson, Echo."

The female suddenly softens, realizing that I am her nephew. I find myself wondering how many cousins I have, based on everyone here; I could easily have ten or twenty.

Kamek whispers their names in my ear as Bowser continues to brag about capturing my Father. " The one with sunglasses is Roy, and the big one is Morton. The woman is Wendy, the tall one with glasses is Iggy, and the short one with the lazy eye is Lemmy. The blue-eyed one is Larry, and the one that looks most like Bowser is Bowser Jr."

" Thank you, Kamek." I smile half-heartedly.

Suddenly the large doors swing open again, breaking through Bowser's spiel. It is Mother, wearing a black Victorian dress, with her hair up in a tight bun; she looks far older this way, and condescending, as she struts toward the group.

" Where is my son?" She asks, voice tight. She makes eye contact with me and her gaze slowly falls over my body. She sinks gradually to her knees and I rush to her out of fear and relief.

" Oh, Mother, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" I cry as I hold her closely to me. I feel her arms wrap around me, and I sense that she is doing her very best not to break into sobs.

" Hello, my daughter-in-law. I do apologize for missing the wedding; I never received an invitation." Bowser drawls dryly.

Mother abruptly stands up, her mismatched eyes filled with fire. " You have no right to speak to me that way, you disgusting lizard!" She jabs a finger in his direction; some of my uncles shrink away from her wrath. " And how dare you lay a claw on my son! How dare you try to bring your own grandson such harm! I despise you and your pitiful existence!" She snarls.

Bowser is trying to suppress shock at her words; I can see it in his eyes, beneath his indifferent disposition. " You shouldn't talk to me that way, young lady. Keep in mind that you are on my land, and that I have your dearest king in my captivity."

" Burn in Hell." Mother growls hoarsely, the veins in her neck pulsing with rage. If looks could kill, then my Grandfather would have been dead before he hit the ground.

They stare each other down now, and the atmosphere is so tense that it is almost difficult to breathe. But, while everyone is still, I notice a flicker at the end of the corridor. Someone is moving slowly up the hallway, quietly, unnoticeably.

I wonder if I will ever learn the secret of how Father escaped the dungeon.


	10. Chapter 10: The Fate of Demons

Father walks slowly down the hall, his eye glistening and locked onto Bowser's inattentive form. I am frightened by the look on his face; I have never seen it before, but I am certain that it will haunt my dreams.

Bowser looks angered. " How dare you speak to your superior that way!"

Mother laughs humorlessly. " You are in no way my superior, you filthy monster!"

Bowser snarls and begins to charge in our direction, eyes ablaze with fury.

Father leaps between us, and Bowser smashes into him; they roll on the ground in a flurry of fangs and claws. Angry snarls are heard from both of them as they writhe on the rough stones.

" Get out of the way!" Calls Larry, flitting to our side and pushing us out of harms way. Mother looks shocked at his assistance, but keeps her eyes glued to the battle. Father's other siblings have stepped back as well; the abruptness of the brawl and the sight of their brother, who was long thought to be dead, have shocked them into silence. Kamek hovers on his broom beside us as well, looking frightened.

Finally Father and Bowser manage to separate themselves from each others claws and they circle each other, fangs bared, waiting for the other to strike.

" You won't escape me again, boy. I'll see to it that you get what you deserve; even if I have to kill you myself!" Bowser roars, furious.

" No. I refuse to let you haunt me and my family any longer!" Father leaps at Bowser, who swings his claws at his outstretched body; I'm certain that it will be a fatal blow…

But then Father vanishes. He simply disappears. Bowser's eyes widen in disbelief, and seconds later Father reappears out of thin air, behind the larger koopa's confused girth. He slashes the backs of Bowser's legs with his claws and the evil king falls to his knees. Father circles Bowser and slashes his shoulder as well.

Bowser opens his jaws and vomits fire, the massive flames engulfing Father. I scream in terror, and leap to a stand. Father leaps from the flames and crashes into one of the great stone columns; his scale is charred, and his skin looks leprous as it bubbles with blisters. Blood flows freely from his wounds as he leans against the column for support.

Bowser laughs and stands shakily, walking in Father's direction.

" NO!" I yell, dashing forward. As I scream, I feel a strange sensation building in my throat; an unbelievable heat builds in my chest, works up through my neck, a bursts from my jaws. A bizarre, viscous fire falls onto Bowser's left side and sticks to his scale, burning him.

" DAMN YOU, CHILD!" Bowser roars, lashing out at me. His fist smashes into me and I fall backwards, skidding on the stone floor until I crash into the wall. Sound and light fades in and out as I struggle to remain conscious. I feel a trickle of warmth creep down my face. I see Mother crouching next to me with Kamek and Larry. They are speaking, but I can't hear them. I must be shell-shocked again…

I gaze past them and see Bowser, still batting at the flames, _my_ flames, on his body. I see Father, screaming with pain, lunge at his demon and sink his blood-coated fangs sink into his father's throat. They both fall to the ground, thrashing in the fire, blood covering every surface they touch. The flames engulf them both, and they are gone.

" Mother…" I sigh, tears dripping from my eyes. I feel her pull me to her shaking body, and I listen as she sobs violently, finally letting out every ounce of stress and rage and sadness that she has held in for so long. Over top of all the noise, I hear Kamek yell a spell, and the fire slowly starts to die. A haze still hangs in the air, along with an eerie silence. Father's siblings are huddled together around a far column, speechless. In the center of the destruction, I see a mass of scale lying motionless.

I break away from Mother and slowly walk to where the bodies are; Kamek hovers behind me, cautious.

I find Bowser first, with blood flowing from his torn jugular; his face is frozen in a snarl, and his once brilliant eyes are dull. I shiver with fright and make my way around him, where I find Father lying with his back to me, as lifeless as Bowser.

" Father!" I gasp, rushing to him. I fall to my knees in front of him, and hear Kamek breathe in sharply. Father is still and expressionless; his eye is closed. I reach over to him and stroke his deep blue hair out of his face; I don't feel any breath from him. It is my turn to break down: I cry, punching the ground hopelessly, and pull Father's body close to me.

" Echo." I hear Kamek say hoarsely to me. " Do…do you still have the Essence of Green?"

My head shoots up and I scramble to grab the vial from my pocket. I gaze at it disbelievingly; the tiny vial doesn't even have a scratch on it, the glowing green liquid undisturbed. I pry open Father's jaws and pour the potion slowly into his mouth, finally giving it a purpose.

Nothing happens for several moments. Then, I notice that Father's wounds have begun to heal. His festering blisters appear to cool and flatten as the potion spreads throughout his body. His eye shoots open and he gasps for air, leaping from my arms. He coughs and chokes for a while as his lungs and heart begin to function again. He crouches on all fours, breathing slowly.

" Father?" I say quietly. " You're…alive?" I can't believe it. I was able to reverse death.

" Echo!" Father breaths, scrambling to me. He clutches me in his arms shakily. " I can't believe it; we're all alive!"

" The Essence of Green worked, Father! I can't believe it!" I laugh, overjoyed.

" Ludwig…" Mother gasps from behind us. Father stands and rushes to her; they hold each other tightly, refusing to believe the miracle that has just occurred. The haze finally settles, and my other relatives come into view, as speechless and dumbfounded as we are. For a moment, all eyes turn to Bowser's body, still bleeding on the ground between us.

Father steps forward, and begins to speak. " Our father is dead. We are at last free of his evil control, and we may do as we please. I…I apologize for hiding from you all for so long. It's been a terrible secret to keep."

" We have missed you, Ludwig." Larry says, stepping forward. " And I don't know that I can speak for everyone here…but I am so thankful that you did this for us today."

" So am I." Called Wendy, leveling her voice as tears filled her eyes.

" What will become of the Darklands, then?" Junior growls. " You and your wife and son will trot merrily home to the Mushroom Kingdom, and your true home will deteriorate and be swept away in the dust!"

Father looks dumbfounded. " Why, Junior, surely you could take on the responsibility of the kingdom? You were the chosen heir, after all."

Now Junior pales. " Well—I…I mean…I wasn't done with my _training_ yet, you see. And I just don't know if I—,"

" Isn't that just like you, Junior? Take all the fame and special treatment of being heir, but as soon as _responsibility_ comes! Ha! You shrink away like a scared little kitten!" Larry huffs. " Ah, well. You wouldn't do well at ruling a kingdom anyway: we'd be worse off…"

Father's face lights up with an idea. " Wait! Bowser…well, he always did want to be a part of the Mushroom Kingdom. Now that I am its ruler, we could finally bring our lands together. We could finally be at peace."

My aunt and uncles all warm to the idea instantly; they seem to be as tired of war as Father is.

" It's settled then." Father smiles. " And, since I always thought that it was unfair of Bowser to choose only one of us to be ruler: I crown you all rulers of Darkland."

They look astonished. " But…how will that work?"

" Look at us!" Father exclaims, outstretching his arms. " Each one of you, including myself, has special skills that can be applied to ruling this kingdom. Roy and Morton are strong and knowledgeable in battle, meaning that they would be in charge of military. Wendy and Lemmy are each kind and nurturing, meaning that they would be best in handling public affairs. Larry and Junior are each intelligent in terms of treasure, so they would keep track of the economy. And Iggy and I each have exceptional brainpower, which could be applied to innovation and decision-making in the kingdom. In this way we will rule the kingdom and keep it stable and at peace."

Kamek steps forward. " I'm convinced. I'll have the arrangements for a crowning ceremony at once! What a bright new era for our kingdoms!" He cackled. " Perhaps the Darklands will become a bit lighter."

With that, Father links arms with Mother and, with me leading the way, we leave the dark castle and head toward better things to come, and, better yet, to home.


	11. Epilouge

I look back on those terror days with regret; I wish that they had never happened. I wish that we could have worked something out, a compromise, so that my grandfather's life, and so many others, could have been spared. But, sometimes there is just no middle ground.

I am glad that those days created such peace, though. The Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands came together, and now each is prospering under the rule of Father and his siblings. I will be the next to watch after the state of harmony, as was mutually decided a few years back.

I am going to speak with Father today, just to talk; even though the times are peaceful, it still seems like I rarely see him. I knock on his door and he calls to enter.

" Hello, Father." I smile.

He looks up from his work and smiles back. He has a few streaks of gray in his hair now from all the stress of his past, but otherwise looks healthy as ever.

" It's good to see you, son. Are you excited for your birthday tomorrow? Twenty-one is a big year." He says.

" I am, Father. I'm glad that all of my relatives will be here."

It is quiet.

Father's gaze pierces me. " Was there something you wanted to talk to me about, Echo?"

I shift on my feet slightly. " Yes, actually…um, could I sit down?"

He nods and I sit down in a chair beside him. " I guess…well, now that I'm an adult, I…"

" Are you nervous about your future?" He asks. I nod. " That's what I thought. Echo I was always a bit worried about my future as a king as well. The older I got, the more I thought about it; and especially after I married your mother. I knew for certain that I would be given the responsibility of ruling an entire kingdom and watching over all of the people in it. I was…well, positively horrified on the day of my coronation."

" That's what I was afraid you'd say…" I sigh. If Father were that afraid, then I would surely die.

He laughs. " It's only natural, my boy! If you weren't afraid, I'd be concerned. Anyway, I was scared, as you are. But, as I got used to being the top dog, I found my own ways of ruling, and I used some trial and error to show me what the people liked and what they didn't. You will get very used to it believe me. Just remember that even though it is a monarchy, you must always listen to the people. Otherwise…well, just look at how the Darklands were when Bowser ruled."

I nod. " Thank you, Father. I honestly don't know what I would do without you."

He smiles broadly and puts an arm around me. " Don't worry, Echo, I plan to be around for a long time yet. Now, then: go and find your Mother. I'm sure she would like to see her birthday boy while he's still a boy."

I leave him to his work, a new hope for what is to come within me. I look forward to the days ahead, spent with Mother and Father and all of my relatives, new and old. The new era has only just begun.

The End


End file.
